1. Report: PDX foreclosure rate more than doubles in year: The Portland area and Oregon are still doing better than the national average in mortgage delinquencies and foreclosures. But the troubles here are growing worse at a faster than the nation in the September report from First American CoreLogic. Portland's delinquency rate was 5.99 percent in September, Oregon's 4.97 percent and U.S. 7.27 percent. But since September 2008, the delinquency rate in Portland and Oregon has grown more than twice as fast as the nation's. The foreclosure rate growth shows a similar is slightly less dramatic spread.

2. NAR: Portland 33rd biggest price decline in Q3: Portland-area single-family home prices fell 12.2 percent in the third quarter compared to a year earlier, the 33rd biggest decline in the National Association of Realtors existing home prices report. The region's median price was $244,500 in the third quarter. Salem's prices were $180,400, down 9.8 percent, 42nd biggest decline. Eugene had the 48th biggest decline at 8.1 percent to $206,600. Seattle-Tacoma tied with Eugene with an 8.1 percent fall to $321,500. Just to compare, Seattle's price is 31 percent higher than Portland's.

Here's the complete list.3. FHA change good news for Portland's condo developers: One of the little-known hurdles for condo sales is limits imposed by FHA on loans made to buyers in those buildings. That's been a major issue for condo sales since most of the first-time buyer tax credit folks are using FHA loans because it requires just 3.5 percent down. As Inside Mortgage Finance reports, FHA's market share rose again in the third quarter to one-quarter of all originations. But FHA announced temporary changes recently to relax its condo sale rules. The changes run from Dec. 7, 2009, to Dec. 31, 2010. Here's a few highlights from the changes: Increase from 30 percent to 50 percent the number of units in a project that can be financed with FHA loans. FHA, however, will make exceptions, even allowing up to 100 percent, when buildings meet an additional set of more stringent criteria .¤.¤. Require at least 50 percent of units in a complex to be owner-occupied or sold to owners who plan to live in the units. Bank-owned units may be disqualified from the percentage calculation. .¤.¤. Reduce a presale requirement in new construction to 30 percent, compared with 70 percent for loans from conventional lenders. (via Calculated Risk and Miami Herald) This all should be welcome news for Portland's last generation of condo towers trying to sell out, especially the ones priced for FHA-type buyers. (read: John Ross).

4. Deutsche expects 32% peak-to-trough house price decline: HousingWire reports on some very interesting figures and projections from Deutsche Bank. The highlights: The U.S. housing market is on track to lose 32 percent of its values from peak-to-trough. The bank pegs the total U.S. housing market of 75.5 million home owners at $24 trillion at its peak in the second quarter of 2006. That value has fallen to $18 trillion as of the second quarter of 2009. The bank expects it will fall to $16.3 trillion in the second quarter of 2010, 32 percent below the peak. The "sand states," as HousingWire calls them, account for an unbelievable 66 percent of the losses in housing wealth. Those would be California, Florida, Arizona and Nevada. The take aways here: It will be well into 2010 and maybe 2011 before Oregon sees bottom in the housing market and we can all blame this on the sand states.5. Suits and liens: From the DJC: In Clackamas County Circuit Court: Columbia State Bank v. Bam Investments, foreclosure of trust deed, for $1 million .¤.¤. Coast Crane Co. v. Goodrich Framing and Construction, breach of contract, for $37,000 .¤.¤. KeyBank v. Elite Glass Works, breach of contract, for $51,000 .¤.¤. MBank v. Sunnyside Brook LLC, breach of contract, for $4.3 million .¤.¤. MBank v. Sunnyside Brook LLC, breach of contract, for $4.3 million .¤.¤. KeyBank v. Elite Glass Works, breach of contract, for $51,700 .¤.¤.